December 2011The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for posting a discriminatory advertisement limiting employment to women, and making discriminatory hiring decisions based on gender. Respondent must also undergo anti-discrimination training.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to reinstate Complainant’s employment and pay her $21,556 in back pay after Complainant was terminated due to her association with a disabled child.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to revise its absence control policy, which previously allowed the employer to penalize employees for medically excused absences.

The Commission ordered Respondent taxi cab driver to pay Complainant $3,500 for refusing to take Complainant to her destination due to her race.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for posting a discriminatory advertisement limiting employment to women, and making discriminatory hiring decisions. The Respondent must also undergo anti-discrimination training.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $2,500 for posting a discriminatory advertisement expressing a preference for women, as well as undergo anti-discrimination training.

After filing a complaint with the Commission alleging disability discrimination, Complainant privately settled the matter with Respondent employer for $17,500.

November 2011On November 21, 2011, the Commission issued a Decision and Order finding Respondent landlord liable for refusing to rent an apartment to a Commission tester due to the tester’s race. Respondent is ordered to pay a civil penalty of $10,000.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for posting a discriminatory advertisement limiting employment to women; and making discriminatory hiring decisions. The Respondent must also undergo anti-discrimination training.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $2,500 for posting a discriminatory advertisement expressing a preference for women, as well as undergo anti-discrimination training.

After filing a complaint with the Commission alleging religious discrimination, Complainant privately settled the matter with Respondent employer for $18,000.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $5,000 for failing to hire Complainant due to his disability. Respondent employer will also pay a civil penalty of $5,000 to the City.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $15,000 for failing to engage in the interactive process concerning Complainant’s disability; resulting in the termination of her employment. Respondent was also ordered to undergo anti-discrimination training.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $2,500 for posting a discriminatory advertisement expressing a preference for women, as well as undergo anti-discrimination training.

October 2011The Commission settled a complaint alleging sexual orientation discrimination and retaliation by respondent employer, who agreed to pay Complainant $22,472.61 in lost wages and mental anguish damages.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a $5,000 civil penalty to the City of New York for posting a discriminatory advertisement, limiting employment to women, which was confirmed by the Commission’s employment testing program.

September 2011Justice Mary Ann Bragantti-Hughes, Supreme Court, Bronx County, denied Riverbay Corp., and Vernon Cooper’s Article 78 petition, Index No. 260832/10, seeking to annul and vacate the decision of the New York City Commission on Human Rights in John Rose v. Riverbay Corp. and Vernon Cooper, Complainant No. 1020824.

The Commission successfully argued before OATH that Respondent Coop City discriminated against Complainant by not providing Complainant with a reasonable accommodation for Complainant’s disability by modifying its no pet policy and allowing Complainant to keep his/her therapeutic comfort animal. An Administrative Law Judge issued a Report and Recommendation awarding Complainant $50,000 in emotional distress damages and a civil penalty of $40,000 to the City. The Commission has not yet issued a final Decision and Order on the case.

The Commission settled a case involving a sanitation supervisor who made racially insensitive comments to a subordinate employee. The employee complained to the Department of Sanitation and the supervisor was suspended and transferred. Thereafter, it is alleged that other supervisors retaliated by giving the employee unwarranted write-ups. The employee got $20,000 in damages.

August 2011The Commission ordered Respondent landlord to install a chairlift in the lobby of Complainant’s building to accommodate his disability by providing Complainant with full, equal and un-segregated access.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $20,000 for failing to take corrective action after Complainant made a complaint of sexual harassment against her supervisor. Respondent employer must also provide training to its managerial staff regarding the NYC Human Rights Law and the prevention of discrimination.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $15,000 for failing to provide Complainant with a reasonable accommodation, which would have allowed Complainant to perform the essential functions of his job. Respondent employer also was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $10,000 and provide anti-discrimination training to its managerial staff.

The Commission ordered Respondent bar to pay Complainants $4,500 and $5,000, respectively. Each Complainant was denied access to Respondent bar because of their mobility impairment. Respondent bar also was ordered to provide training to its staff regarding the NYC Human Rights Law.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $55,000 for retaliating against Complainant after she made a complaint of discrimination.

The Commission ordered Respondent restaurant to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for utilizing discriminatory hiring practices, i.e., an advertisement expressing a preference for women, which the Commission confirmed pursuant to its testing program.

The Commission ordered Respondent bed and breakfast, a housing accommodation, to pay a civil penalty of $4,900 for publishing a discriminatory advertisement refusing to lodge and accommodate families with children. Respondent was also ordered to change its policy in order to accommodate families with children.

July 2011Justice Michael D. Stallman, Supreme Court, New York County, denied and dismissed Vera Givens’ Article 78 petition against Commissioner Patricia L. Gatling, Commission on Human Rights, and the New York City Department of Correction, seeking to annul the Commission’s No Probable Cause determination issued January 18, 2011.

After a hearing at OATH, Administrative Law Judge Alessandra F. Zorgniotti issued a Report and Recommendation finding Respondent, a place and/or provider of a public accommodation, liable for race base discrimination and recommending Complainant receive $7,500 in emotional distress damages and the City receive a civil penalty of $15,000.

Pursuant to a conciliation agreement, the Commission ordered Respondent employer to reinstate Complainant to his former position, bridge his service as if he was never terminated, and pay Complainant $189,000, in back pay.

The Commission ordered Respondent co-op board to allow Complainant to transfer his deceased partner’s shares to himself, as indicated in his partner’s will, and resume occupancy of the apartment.

After a hearing at Oath, the Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $13,740 for wrongful termination, as well as a $5,000 fine to the City.

June 2011The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $6,500 for posting a discriminatory advertisement limiting employment opportunities to men, as well as train its managerial staff on applicable city, state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

The Commission ordered Respondent restaurant to pay Complainant $4,000 for refusing to allow Complainant to enter the restaurant with her service animal.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for posting a discriminatory advertisement limiting employment opportunities to women.

May 2011The Commission ordered Respondent employer to rehire Complainant after Complainant was summarily terminated due to a prior criminal conviction, which was unrelated to Complainant’s current position or duties. Respondent employer also was ordered to pay Complainant $5,475 in back pay.

After a hearing at OATH, the Commission ordered Respondent landlord to pay a civil penalty of $20,000 for refusing to accept Section 8 applicants as tenants.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to hire Complainant at an annual salary of approximately $70,000, after Respondent employer summarily rejected Complainant’s employment application due strictly to a prior criminal conviction.

The Commission ordered Respondent landlord to reimburse Complainant $18,249.04, for failure to accept Complainant’s Section 8 voucher in a timely fashion, as well as provide Complainant with a two year prospective rent abatement of $819.90 per month.

April 2011The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $7,500 for refusing to hire Complainant due to his disability.

After trial, an ALJ employed by OATH issued a Report and Recommendation suggesting that the Commission order Respondent to pay Complainant $20,360 in compensatory damages, as well as impose a civil penalty of $15,000. The Respondent security company refused to allow Complainant to enter a building with his service animal and an employee of the company publicly ridiculed Complainant about his disability.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $7,500 for terminating Complainant’s employment due to her disability.

March 2011The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $2,500 for posting a discriminatory advertisement on Craig’s List limiting employment opportunities to women.

The Commission ordered Respondent landlord to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for summarily refusing to consider a Commission tester’s rental application after the tester indicated he was a Section 8 recipient.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $20,000 for terminating Complainant’s employment solely because of a prior criminal conviction. Respondent employer was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $25,000.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $12,000 in compensatory damages for terminating Complainant’s employment due to her pregnancy. Respondent employer was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $10,000.

February 2011The Commission ordered Respondent Coop Board to allow Complainant to install a separate air conditioning system in his apartment, as well as an individual washer and dryer, to accommodate Complainant's disability.

The Commission settled allegations of discriminatory hiring practices, based on gender, against a Williamsburg restaurant for a $5,000 civil penalty to be paid to the City. The restaurant advertised, expressing a preference for females, and appeared to discriminate against the Commission's testers based on their gender.

The Commission settled a lawful source of income discrimination case for approximately $10,000 representing the amount of rent the government would have paid had the landlord accepted and processed Complainant's application in a timely fashion.

The Commission obtained a civil penalty in the amount of $2,250 from a hair salon that was charging different prices for men and women.

All of the above settlements required training and policy changes.

During this reporting period the Commission litigated a case against a security company that prevented a disabled individual from entering a building with his service animal. The Commission is awaiting the Administrative Law Judge's Report and Recommendation.

During this reporting period the Commission issued a Decision and Order directing a landlord to pay a bi-racial lesbian couple $51,500 in damages. The Commission also Ordered a $20,000 civil penalty.

January 2011The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay Complainant $6,000 in emotional distress damages for refusing to hire Complainant due to his national origin.

For failure to accept Complainant's Section 8 voucher in a timely fashion, prior to the termination of the NYCHA program in December 2009, the Commission ordered Respondent landlord to reimburse Complainant $9,000 in rent, as well as provide Complainant with a rent abatement of $600 per month for the next 24 months. The entire settlement is worth $23,400.

The Commission ordered Respondent employer to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for utilizing discriminatory hiring practices, expressing a preference for women.

The Commission ordered Respondent Coop Board, the owners and managers of an HDFC building ("subject premises"), to allow the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities to provide access to the subject premises by installing a chair lift for the benefit of Complainant, who is disabled by cerebral palsy. The chair lift, as well as the work to be done on the subject premises in preparation for installation, is valued at $134,905.